Agriculture Glance 12-9-12

New farmer training

The Yuma County Cooperative Extension is again offering a training program for people who want to learn how to farm and market the vegetables they grow to the local community in a farmers market.

The new farmer/farmers market training program will run from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Mondays Jan. 7 through Feb. 25 at the extension office, 2200 W. 28th St. Topics will include pest management; business plan and accounting; marketing; soil, fertilization and water management; obtaining land and capital; food safety; insurance and risk management; and taxes.

Those interested need to contact the extension office to fill out an application form. Registration will be taken until Dec. 21; applicants also will need to provide a $50 check by that date.

For more information, call Stacey Bealmear, urban horticulture extension agent, at 726-3904.

Leafy greens training

To help growers improve their overall food safety and comply with audits, the Arizona Leafy Greens Food Safety Committee has retained Barry Eisenberg, Ph.D., a technical food safety consultant who work with growers to help them meet food safety and quality goals.

Eisenberg will work with growers individually and in groups at the expense of the Arizona Leafy Greens Food Safety Committee.

To introduce Eisenberg to the industry, an educational program will be offered at 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Radisson Hotel, 1501 S. Redondo Center Drive. He will provide a brief overview of how to prepare for an audit, chlorine monitoring, risk assessments and how to utilize his availability as a resource to the industry. During the following week, he will meet with individual growers.

Attendees and those interested in making individual appointments can call 1-602-542-0945 or email tlopez@azda.gov.

Gardening program

Master gardener Fred Duncan will present “Proper Soil Amendments for a Thriving Garden” at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Main Library, 2951 S. 21st Drive. Learn how to add the proper nutrients to soil to keep your plants and trees healthy. There is no charge to attend.

Upcoming topics in the Yuma Garden Series include “Nutrient Deficiency” in January and “Citrus Care and Culture” in February. Meet fellow gardening enthusiasts and learn how to make things grow in Arizona.

For more information about the series, call 782-1871.

Gowan Company to distribute bio fungicide

Yuma-based Gowan Company LLC has signed a commercial agreement with Biopreparáty for exclusive distribution of Polyversum in the U.S., Mexico and Canada starting in the 2013 crop season.

Polyversum is a broad-spectrum bio fungicide that has been successfully used in Europe since 1997 on such crops as canola, sunflower, wheat and barley and can be used for both organic and conventional crops.